


The Grimmhound of Vale

by Bobele



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/M, Jaune Arc-centric, Organized Crime, Overpowered Jaune Arc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:29:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28773882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bobele/pseuds/Bobele
Summary: Jaune Arc was a teenager with lots of potential but without goals and sense of purpose. One letter would change his whole life and maybe turn it around towards something better. The challenge will be to find a place among hunters as former part of Vale's criminal underground.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AN: This is a little idea born from being sick in bed playing Yakuza and binging RWBY in a week.
> 
> Main focus will be Jaune Arc, which seems to be a fandom favorite to write about. Fair warning, he will be strong in this story for reasons that will become clear along the way.
> 
> A character being overpowered is a turnoff for some readers, but it's never been a problem for me as long as the conflict and drama comes from elsewhere. (Let alone the fact how being strong can bring its own set of problems)
> 
> Sporadic updates between my main story for Konosuba.
> 
> Mature rating to be on the safe side.
> 
> Hope you enjoy and tell me what you think.

Roman Torchwick, criminal mastermind and gentleman thief, had a real bad day. A simple dust robbery, nothing out of the ordinary and certainly nothing which needed his personal attention, ruined by a single girl. He was used to setbacks in his line of work, but the necessity to run from a teenager with a gun-scythe constituted a new highlight.

Neo would laugh about this for months.

He could fight brat, certainly win, although not before their commotion would draw every type of law enforcement towards them. And knowing his kind of luck tonight, there would be huntresses and huntsmen among them. Operating this close to Beacon Academy had the drawback of getting more than the usual beat cop answering the call.

"That's what stakeouts were for." Roman grumbled to himself and decided to vent his rage later on the useless goon watching the place. All of the hired help today turned out to be useless, incapable of dealing with one measly girl. At least they would buy him some time to escape. The ticket to freedom and his well-earned nightcap of brandy awaited just around the corner and up the fire ladder.

Time to put this day behind him.

Destiny had other plans for Roman, his eyes widening at the single person standing in the abandoned alleyway. Panic welled up inside him and ebbed away a second later after getting a good look at the teenager. Thick blonde hair, slicked back with gel. A grey bomber jacket and dark pants with white sneakers. He stood with his back to Roman, holding a piece of paper tightly gripped and fumbling in his pocket in search of something to light the cigarette in his mouth.

The archetypical example for a random schmuck being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

" _Nothing personal, kid!"_ Roman thought and brandished his cane in full sprint. The guy blocked access to his escape route and every second wasted was a second the red menace had to catch up. Hardened wood and reinforced steel smashed against the blonde's temple with the force of an experienced fighter.

* _splinter_ *

And shattered into pieces. Roman Torchwick stared dumbfounded at the curved handle of his weapon, the only thing remaining after it impacted. The unaffected young man moved out of his own volition and turned around, putting away his lighter and taking a drag on his cigarette.

The guy had aura, tons of it if his lack of injury could be believed. Scanning the area, Roman noticed a sword leaning against a wall. The weapon had no gimmicks but was masterfully crafted and might have been valuable for collectors, if the actual blade part of the weapon hadn't been dented and bent all out shape. The piece of metal looked like somebody had used it more as a baseball bat than an actual cutting weapon.

_Another wannabe hunter? Really?! What is with tonight?!_

"Can I help you?" the blond exhaled a cloud of smoke. "You seem on edge, sir."

Fragrance of filterless, low quality cancer sticks entered Roman's nostrils. He wasn't a health nut, far from it considering his love for expensive cigars, yet nothing could have convinced him to get his lips anywhere close to those tobacco abominations.

The master thief of Vale blinked. Why was he judging the smoking habits of some random kid when a manic girl was chasing after him with militarized farming equipment? "I'm a bit in a hurry, boy!"

"The name's Jaune. Want to talk about what troubles you?" the guy said, scratching the place Roman had hit him and a hole should have been.

"I don't care, you…" Something in Roman's mind clicked into place. Parts of second-hand stories and descriptions he heard over the years brought a full name over his lips. "Jaune Arc perchance?"

The relaxed expression on the blonde's face turned into a small frown. "Do I know you?"

Roman wasn't sure to feel either relieved or insulted. The gentleman thief worked hard for his reputation and had an image to uphold. On the other hand, the guy in front of him had a reputation as well, and hopefully, most of it was exaggerated.

Although it meant he didn't have to dance around the issue. "Roman Torchwick, gentleman thief and criminal mastermind extraordinaire, we never had the pleasure of doing business."

A small glimmer of recognition dancing across the eyes showed Roman this guy had heard of him, just wasn't relevant to his interest.

Be thankful for small blessings.

Nearby high pitched screams and curses made Roman go pale. A hired goon landed face first on the pavement in viewing distance. The red menace was almost upon him. Jaune Arc listened to the threats of bodily harm getting closer and fixated the thief with a stare.

"What is the worst thing you've ever done Roman?"

"Excuse me?"

Jaune pressed on. "Did you ever kill somebody who didn't deserve it? Sold drugs to kids? Took advantage of people to prostitute them for money?"

Roman Torchwick was a professional in every aspect of the word. "No, I'm far too civilized for that kind of revenue source! Roman, the gentleman thief, remember? The hint is in the title."

Why bother selling illegal goods and services when stealing the money itself was so much more rewarding? The killing part might change soon with his recent employer breathing down his neck, but at this point in time his conscience was clear.

As such, he weathered the tense staredown, until the demeanor of Jaune relaxed and he flipped open a nearby trash container. "In you go."

"You can't be serious…"

Jaune raised an eyebrow. "That's the last place they would look for a gentleman."

"Do you know how much this suit costs?!"

"You won't be wearing it in jail. Is that your pursuer?"

Roman gasped and dove into the trash, suppressing his gag reflex just in time for Jaune to put the lid back on and act naturally for whoever chased Roman.

Jaune hadn't expected a highschooler.

Nothing about the approaching girl could be described as intimidating. The fair skinned teenager with black hair ending in red tips stood 5'2 and weighed maybe 90 pounds soaking wet. The apparent fear of Roman towards this girl confused Jaune and he threw a questioning look towards the trash container while her silver eyes darted around the alleyway.

Then she produced a piece of metal from under her cloak and transformed it into a crimson scythe which was easily twice as big as herself.

Roman's unwillingness to engage made suddenly sense.

"Have you seen a criminal get past here?"

Oh gods that voice. Both men, one standing and the other hiding in trash, flinched from the sugary cuteness entering their earbuds. Roman more out of embarrassment of being bested by something so adorable. You had the urge to take the weapon out of her hand and scold her for handling something dangerous.

Jaune caught himself with a cough. "There's a lot of criminals in this city. Care to be more specific?"

She pouted at Jaune and he squeezed his chest to battle the heartburn caused by emotional diabetes. "A guy this big, lots of mascara around the eyes, garish ginger hair, snobbish white suit and a top that."

" _It's a bowler hat! Is there no sense of culture and style left in the generation of today?"_

Roman's inner turmoil went unnoticed by Jaune, who decided to handle this quickly for the sake of his melting heart. "Went that way, running like a bitch. You might catch him if you hurry."

The girl smiled and ran. "Thanks!"

Jaune watched her take two steps before bursting into a vortex of rose petals, blasting away to catch a criminal she would never find.

"Cute kid, dangerously cute. A bit too trusting for my taste." Two knocks against the container signaled the coast was clear. Roman climbed out in record speed, removing bits of pieces of stuff he didn't want to inspect further for the sake of his sanity.

"Running like a bitch, really?"

Jaune shrugged. "It worked, didn't it? Now pay me." The master thief looked dumbfounded at the outstretched hand with it's palm upward. "You wanted my help and got it. Nothing in this city is for free."

Was that really happening? Him, Roman Torchwick, shaken down for money by a thug? "You remember I'm a wanted and dangerous criminal, right?"

"I'm not asking for much here," Jauned said in an even tone, the veiled threat against him completely ignored. "Just enough to have a good night in town."

Roman pulled something from inside his jacket and threw it at Jaune's chest with a muffled thud. "Take the whole damn wallet. I'm too tired to argue."

"Nice doing business with you Mr. Torchwick."

"Screw you, kid."

* * *

Club Junior was the shining example for Vale's nightlife. Nowhere else in the city you could let loose like here and forget your problems for an evening. Heavy strobe lights bathed the whole venue in all colors of the rainbow, flickering in rhythm with the hammering tunes shaking everything and everybody to the bone. Competent bartenders worked restlessly to mix and serve expensive drinks to thirsty customers coming from dancing or sending trays to VIP areas where certain needs could be fulfilled in privacy.

As the centerpiece stood the massive dancefloor, packed to the brim with bodies writhing against each other in a volatile fume of sweat, alcohol and the sugary stench from several smoke machines.

Even among all the commotion, the young woman entering through the main entrance managed to turn heads. She was tall, toned and curvy with long, vibrant blonde hair. The confident strut and smirk on her face matched the appearance.

Yang Xiao Long knew how bodily gifted she was and didn't hesitate to show it in public.

On any other night she would have basked in the attention. Tonight, Yang came for questions only. The sleazy nightclub owner knew a lot of stuff and chances were good among it was the answer she needed.

Luckily, her target was already at the bar. "Strawberry Sunrise, no ice." She ordered right beside the club owner. "Oh, and one of those little umbrellas."

Her entrance caught the attention of Junior. The middle-aged men glanced at Yang and fleeting interest turned to appraisal as his eyes slid over her body.

"Aren't you a little young to be on this club blondie?"

Concern for her age didn't stop him from eyeing her like a piece of meat. Nothing knew for her.

"Aren't you a little old to have a name like Junior?"

The talkback had the intended effect of him taking her seriously, mentally upgrading the threat level of Yang from hot bimbo to nuisance.

"So you know who I am. You got a name sweetheart?"

Yang figured he wasn't upgrading enough after hearing the obnoxious per name.

"Yes Junior, I got several. But instead of sweetheart you can call me sir!"

Faster than the eye could see, her vice grip tightened on his crotch and Yang internally shuddered from the sensation. She would scrub her hand with bleach later, now she needed to look determined.

"People say you know everything. Tell me where I can find her and I let you go."

"I've never seen her before, I swear!"

Frustration bubbled up inside of Yang like boiling water. Every time the same old shit for months now. She gets a lead and the trail immediately goes cold, forcing her to start from zero. Junior had to know something. He knew everything! How hard could it be to find a single person? She was running out of patience and maybe her conversational partner needed more convincing.

"Excuse me?" Yang growled, ready to squeeze him out like a lemon.

Another voice spoke up between them. "I think having him by the balls negates any possibility of lying. No man is that fearless."

Then somebody forcefully removed her hand around Junior's package by simply pulling on her wrist. Yang hadn't expected the move and stared at the source of their interruption with fury at first, then confusion. The guy didn't look like somebody who could manage such a feat even when getting the drop on her. A blonde, fighting his shaggy hair with lots of gel, wearing a white hoodie with black sleeves. His black jeans had multiple stains and the grey sneakers on his feet looked worn.

All in all, severely underdressed for this place or any establishment more picky than a soup kitchen. The barest hint of inked skin peeked out at the neck, suggesting the edges of a very large tattoo underneath the bulky clothes.

Was he part of Junior's goons? The guy looked a little young for this kind of crowd. That, and all of them followed the same dress code, down to the res sunglasses and identical haircuts.

The grip on her wrist didn't loosen one smidge while he took a sip from his drink in the other hand. No underestimating of her abilities on his part. Every visible muscle on his body looked tense.

"Arc!"

Yang noticed the familiar but nervous way Junior said his name. A known entity at this club but not in direct employment. Maybe the muscle of a local gang? The grip strength and body art supported that theory.

"Friend of yours, Junior?"

Jaune took another sip from his glass and put it on the counter. "Just a concerned customer. You seem like the violent type and I want to enjoy my evening in peace."

Junior eyed them both, signaling his goons to stay put. This wasn't a powderkeg he wanted to set off with hasty decisions. Unfortunately for him, Yang very much wanted to escalate and used her free hand to grab the appendage holding her. "I will once I get my answers."

"This is a nightclub. File your missing person report elsewhere."

A cocking sound came from Yang's yellow gauntlet as two shells entered the chambers. "Where would that be Arc?" Yang said, tightening the grip around his wrist, trying to break it like a twig.

The faint glimmer of aura dashed her plans. "The police station? I already called them, so maybe you can catch a ride?"

Red eyes flashed towards the open scroll lying on the counter. As much as she wanted to get information, Yang weighed her desire against how bad it would look to get arrested before her first day in Beacon Academy. Junior wouldn't call the cops with their weird pride among criminals, but this guy might have no such reservations.

She didn't want to spend her first day of huntress training behind bars.

"This isn't over. I'll be back."

Jaune relaxed and let go of her, turning back towards his drink. "And I have no problems with that on a night when I'm not here to unwind."

"What even is that?" Yang asked, eyeing the murky cocktail with five floating lemon slices.

"Gin with five dashes of bitter and herb liqueur."

"Yuck, I'm out of here!" Yang stomped off under the wary stares of Junior and his employees.

Once she was past the bouncer and it became clear that the blonde troublemaker wouldn't come back, Junior deflated with a sigh of relief. "You're a lifesaver. What can I get you?"

Jaune downed the vile concoction of bitter and sour, the club owner and bartender making a disgusted face for him.

"Get me another one of those for the road."

The bartender hurried to make another crime against cocktails. Jaune's thousand yard stare turned back on the counter to hit the crumpled piece of paper. His intensity suggested the wish to burn a hole into it by mere thought.

_**"Acceptance Letter For Beacon Academy"** _

_**Jaune Arc** _


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An: The last chunk I wrote while I was sick in bed. Further chapters will take longer.
> 
> Hope you enjoy and tell me what you think.

The first day of a new semester at Beacon Academy had the whole city of Vale bustling with activity. Young people from all stretches of life gathered there to be brought to Beacon Academy in one of the airships scheduled for today.

In one of those transports, a very excited blonde had her black-haired sibling in a bone-crushing high.

"I can't believe my baby sister is going to Beacon with me. This is the best day ever!"

"Please stop."

Yang rolled her eyes but wouldn't let her little Rubaby ruin the good mood. She desperately needed something to cheer her up after the information hunt yesterday had been a bust.

Grumpy and irritated, Yang had gone back to her hotel room to find her sister jumping with joy and bouncing off the wall. Only Ruby could manage to get a personal invitation to Beacon by stopping a dust robbery. The same dust robbery which was broadcasted in the news since this morning and also ran on every monitor inside the airship.

**...The robbery was led by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick, who continues to evade authorities. If you have any information on his whereabouts please contact the Vale Police Department...**

And like every time, Ruby watched the broadcast with a pout.

"Why are you so moody? You stopped that robbery."

"But the thief got away…"

The broadcast on every monitor changed to show a blonde woman. She oozed professionalism out of every pore by her mannerisms and choice of clothes. Hair put into a bun, black-rimmed glasses, white blouse and black cloak with purple inlay. The rest was hidden since she was filmed from the waist up, but Yang guessed under there would be black skirt going over the knees and black high heels to finish the stern teacher look.

**Hello and welcome to Beacon. My name is Glynda Goodwitch. You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy!**

**Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future huntsman and huntress, it is your duty to uphold it.**

**You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and know it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world.**

Yang sighed with a smile at the starstruck expression on her sister while listening to the message from Beacon. Ruby genuinely wanted to become a huntress to make Remnant a better place. Yang herself thought a lot more practical about life. With her set of skills and hunger for adventure, becoming a huntress made the most sense.

The clouds parted and a sudden birds-eye-view of Beacon brought Yang back from her thoughts. She stared at the massive collection of structures and allowed herself a more honest smile, until the reflection showed what was going on behind her. The blonde guy from the nightclub walked by in a confident stride. A single duffle bag was slung over his shoulder, which he dropped at his destination at the exit.

"Excuse me for a second, Rubes."

Yang's day had started so well. Now seeing him brought all the frustration back to the forefront of her mind; The constant failure and disappointment of months without getting one step closer to her goal.

Now she could put a face to that feeling. "What are you doing here?"

Jaune kept staring straight ahead at the exit ramp.

"Hey, I'm talking to you! Don't you ignore me!" She shoved him in the chest to turn him towards her.

He threw up.

On her.

A lot.

Every head in the airship turned towards the sound of an ear-piercing shriek echoing through all decks.

* * *

RWBY

* * *

Jaune Arc walked off the landing airship, still a bit wobbly on his feet but in much better mood than before. Seeing the obnoxious blonde run around in panic, screaming about vomit in her hair gave him all the good feelings.

Petty? Maybe. Incredibly satisfying? One-hundred percent.

Besides emptying his stomach of useless ballast, it also had the desired effect of getting her and little Red of his back. Each of them smelled like an unique brand of trouble and the two being occupied by washing out bile from hip-length blonde hair in the airship bathroom suited him just fine.

Personified sugar and the epitome of hotheadedness. What a combo.

Jaune sat down at a nearby bench out of sight to regain composure. It wasn't the first time he cursed his proneness to getting airsick. He would have rather walked the way and climbed the cliff to Beacon if time hadn't been an issue. He lit a cigarette and enjoyed the last hit of nicotine for the foreseeable future.

Stringent no smoke policy on academy grounds.

Done way too fast for his taste, Jaune went back to the main path towards the auditorium. There he stood, hands in his pockets and looking up at the place which would be his home for the next four years.

He heard chatter behind him but ignored it. Lack of curse words against him ruled out Blondie Mcfisterson and the pathway was broad enough to go around for whoever wanted to get past. Either he underestimated his girth or somebody wasn't paying attention, because something walked against Jaune and followed it up by a high-pitched shriek.

She was the daintiest little thing he'd ever seen. Jaune had thought Scythe girl lacked pounds but the fairy lying at his feet looked like the faintest breeze could blow her away. Snow fairy fit the description even better. Pale, porcelain skin, white hair, wearing a white dress and white high heels.

Jaune offered a hand and flinched when she hesitated with a look of disgust. The hoodie he wore still had traces of vomit on it and that obviously bothered her. He took it off and threw the bulky clothing in the trash, revealing a simple black shirt underneath. Then he pulled her up by the hand, seeing nothing wrong about it anymore.

She did have complaints. "Unhand me! Who allowed you to touch me?"

The powerful voice coming from that lithe frame surprised him and Jaune let go halfway. She took a tumble back on her butt, staring at him with hateful intensity.

"What is your deal? Don't you know who I am?"

Jaune felt himself cool off on this meeting. Snow-white began rattling off about her illustrious family name and importance in the world. Weiss Schnee, even the name fit the appearance and well as her icy attitude.

Then and there, Jaune decided to walk and she wasn't having it. "Where are you going? I demand an apology!"

"For what?"

A slender finger poked him in the chest. "You pushed me down twice!"

"You ran into me and fell on your ass, then fell a second time because you told me to let go."

"You're supposed to after I got up! Do you have no brain? Where are your manners? Did nobody teach you how to treat a lady?"

"Listen, I can't be late." Jaune rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Let's kiss and make out."

"What?!" Weiss screeched and turned red as a tomato. It took a second for Jaune's mind to catch up to what he just said.

"Up, kiss and make up." Jaune shook his head. "Sorry, slip some tongue." The girl in front of him became even redder. "Slip of the tongue!"

What was wrong with him? Talking with people wasn't his favorite pastime but he usually could be considered at least decent at it. Then he met this girl with her silky white hair and sapphire eyes, continually messing up while staring at her rosy lips.

Wait a second…

Silky white hair? Sapphire eyes? Rosy lips?

The coin dropped. "I think I'm attracted to your body."

Weiss picked up her suitcases and ran.

* * *

RWBY

* * *

Arriving in the auditorium a few minutes later, Jaune kept in the back to avoid attention. A good idea after a few glimpses around the attendance.

There was Blondie with little Red towards the front, her hair still damp and put into a ponytail. He could see her eyes glow red from afar, darting in every direction to find him. A third girl had joined the group since the airship. Long black hair, slender body type that spoke for agility over muscle in clear contrast to the powerhouse which was Blondie.

Girl number three wore mundane clothing in black and white with a comically large bow on her head as the only accessory that stood out. The most striking features were her piercing yellow eyes, clearly visible even in the dimmed room.

Weiss Schnee mingled with a tall redhead, who seemed to be built for combat even at a glance. You could gauge the level of experience by simply watching how someone carried themselves in peaceful situations. Although visibly bored by whatever Weiss was telling her, she always remained mindful of her surroundings to react at a moments notice.

This competency was likely the reason the Schnee tried to get close to the girl.

The lights on stage came to life and Professor Ozpin walked to the microphone. Everybody knew the grey-haired headmaster of Beacon and his appearance drew attention. He knew his effect on people and skipped the introduction.

**I'll keep this brief. You've traveled her today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you are finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people.**

The headmaster also knew how to make a sales pitch. Jaune figured you had to be good to make risking your life against monsters sound appealing. There was no money, no security, and no certainty in being a hunter or huntress.

Hardly something most would aspire to be.

**But I look amongst you and all I see is wasted energy, a need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at his school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far.**

Jaune gripped his arm so tight his body began to shake. He swore the eyes of the headmaster rested solely on him for a moment.

**It is up to you to take the first step.**

_"Subtle as fist to the face, Mr. Ozpin."_ Jaune thought as the headmaster left the stage and every student in the audience in awkward silence, until Glynda Goodwitch took the spot at the microphone.

"You will gather tonight in the ballroom. Tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed."

* * *

RWBY

* * *

Yang hated how her first day in Beacon had gone so far and thanked the gods it was almost over.

Students all around them prepared themselves to sleep like one giant slumber party without booze and party games. Only students passing the initiation tomorrow would get assigned dorm rooms and most talks were focused on that subject. Some were giving her funny looks or snickers behind the hand, but thankfully the number stayed manageable for damage control.

She wanted to be the talk among the students, just not the way it turned out thus far.

The first step would be to get her ruined hair back in order. Yang didn't consider herself a vain person when it came to most things. Her hair was the exception to that rule, always deliberate to have it look great and take exceptional care.

She owned five different brushes, which all were in heavy use to rigorously brush her hair in an attempt to make it look presentable again. Ruby sat with her on demand to hand over the next tool or haircare product for this task. Her sister, gods bless her caring heart, knew how important this was for her and helped without complaint. Every second wasted was more opportunity for somebody to take note of the current rat's nest on her head.

One girl named Blake Belladonna had even openly laughed at her and was currently sitting with them. "I know you are upset about this whole situation, but don't you think it's a bit much to keep me hostage?"

Not completely out of her own free will, but Yang believed drastic measures had to be taken to prevent further humiliation. "I'm satisfied after you see me without being a mess and confirm that I'm not a joke."

"It was barely a chuckle and I showed you the way to the auditorium as an apology."

"Let me have this after what that asshile put me through!" Yang pointed her brush at Blake, who huffed and went back to reading her book.

The youngest of the group flinched and tried a more diplomatic approach. "I don't think he meant to upset you, Yang. He was nice to me. Maybe you just started on the wrong foot?"

Ruby kept nagging her to make up with the guy since leaving the airship, mentioning again and again how he helped her out yesterday. Yang questioned how telling somebody a vague direction counted as valuable help, but her sister never wasted a thought on these things.

"You know Ruby," Yang said, putting the last finishing touches to her hair. "Maybe I should try to get this resolved with him."

"Yes, you should! I can help you look for him. As a new student he should be here as well."

Oh, Yang sincerely hoped so. "No worries, I got this."

The creeping feeling of guilt bubbled in Yang's gut as she left her smiling sister. Technically she hadn't been telling a lie when she set out to settle things. It just would be up to him how this played out.

An opportunity to vent in a more physical manner would not be rejected.

She hadn't seen the guy at the speech in the auditorium, despite how hard she had looked for him in the crowd. There wasn't really a good place to hide in the ballroom though, narrowing it down to spaces without large groups of students and looking for people who are alone bare fruit pretty quickly.

He kept his distance in an empty corner and had no sleeping bag or sleepwear, sitting leaned against a wall with his eyes closed.

"Hey there vomit boy."

His eyes opened slowly, looking up at her with a flat expression. "The name's Jaune Arc."

She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up to eye level. "Yang Xiao Long."

"You are ruining my last clean shirt, Yang." Jaune Arc wasn't intimidated by her. She knew when guys put up front to look tough and he was mostly annoyed, down to the bored conversational tone and complete lack of tension in his body.

It triggered her anger. "I will ruin your face if you don't apologize, Jaune!"

"That seems to be a trend today. The response is the same though, I fail to see what I should be sorry about."

"I have plenty of reasons to be angry with you!" She growled and shoved him against the wall with a loud bang.

He remained unimpressed by the show of force. "Was it when I stopped you from going on a rampage in a club full of civilians? Or maybe when you shoved a sick guy in the stomach and got thrown up on for it? Sounds pretty cut and dry to me in terms of responsibility."

Yang's hard glare wavered through a small eye twitch. There was some truth to his words. A rational explanation for the turn of events, but being rational wasn't a priority when you are angry and still smelled stomach acid on your hair.

It also didn't help when the one being rational gave you lip about it. His whole attitude rubbed Yang the wrong way, brushing her off like some inconsequential nuisance. They were getting an audience and she couldn't risk looking like a spineless chump in front of the gathered student body. Their four years in Bracon were starting today and Yang's image had already taken enough blows.

A show of dominance was required to establish her role as top dog.

"Don't make me force you. I want that apology," she said loud enough for everybody to hear.

That move finally got a reaction from Jaune. Not the remorseful plea for forgiveness she wanted but instead a hard edge coming over his eyes. He looked around towards the nosy bystanders then back to Yang's eyes with a deep stare.

For the shortest moment, he looked tired. "I guess we are doing this. At least you can take it."

Jaune's arm shot forward and Yang braced herself for the shove against her chest. Aura flared to soften the blow as a sudden sense of weightlessness rushed through her body. Below her, she saw wide-eyed students staring up.

Her body hit a nearby glass door to the balcony two seconds later, smashing through it and vanishing from sight over the balustrade.

The ballroom was on the third floor.

With Yang gone, stares from the students were now resting on Jaune. The girl had a very strong grip, strong enough to have kept it on his shirt while getting tossed across the auditorium. Something had to give and another piece of clothing was now forever lost to him. He stood naked from the waist up with the ripped remains on the ground.

Those standing behind him began to whisper and point. They saw a tattoo, going across his whole back and over his shoulders, with a motive everybody recognized as future huntresses and huntsmen.

A Beowulf, inked so realistic it felt like the grimm could detach itself from the skin at any second. The monster was drawn in a way as if it was taking a bite from behind at Jaune's shoulder, gripping its arms around him and clawing at his chest.

The depiction of a horror eating him alive.

Yang came back through the front entrance, twigs, leaves and mud in her hair showing where she landed outside. The doors hit the wall with enough force to splinter them to bits and crack the wall.

Eyes burning like embers scanned the room and the air around her visibly heated up when they fell back on Jaune. Yang took one step before a whirlwind of red and flying rose petals crashed against her. Ruby had thrown herself at her sister, recognizing the rage and desperately trying to hold her back from making a mistake.

"Come to your senses, Yang!" Ruby begged and flinched at seeing her big sister practically foaming at the mouth. "Blake, help me!"

Blake did not help. Blake did not move.

The girl stood frozen to the spot, eyes locked at Jaune's back in shock.

"The Grimmhound..."

A sharp glance from Jaune made Blake step back. "I don't know you. Do you want to get involved?"

Blake turned around and vanished into the crowd with Ruby calling one last time for help without an answer. The support wouldn't have made a difference one way or another. Even two of them at their best would have no chance of stopping the blonde powerhouse stomping towards Jaune.

Yang stood before him now glowing from head to toe, Ruby hanging from her like an accessory. "Last chance to beg for forgiveness before I break you in half."

A flicker of something other than contempt came over Jaune's face. Was it sympathy? Maybe pity? Hard to say from the split second Ruby saw it and Yang was too far gone to notice. The last hope for a peaceful solution died when Jaune hardened his expression and opened his mouth to answer Yang's ultimatum.

"Eat a dick, strawhead."

Red eyes widened with a snarl and the fury unleashed with a fist towards his face at mach speed, only to be stopped inches before impact as her whole body locked down in motion. Yang huffed in frustration and Jaune raised an eyebrow at the purple glow surrounding her.

"I would prefer she wouldn't do something so vulgar on academy grounds, Mr. Arc."

Glynda Goodwitch had come to restore order.


	3. Chapter 3

The walk of shame to the headmaster's office under two hundred pairs of eyes had been a time of grim reflection for Yang.

At this point she could confirm the start of a losing streak and the inability to stop it made her piss boil in rage.

She took a deep breath.

Anger had brought her here. Anger couldn't get her out. In fact, Professor Goodwitch believed the scolding should be separate to prevent further aggression. She had to wait her turn outside the office, sitting on a single chair like a misbehaving child. There hadn't been a moment of hesitation from the teacher to drag Jaune first into the headmaster's office. Yang had barely gotten acknowledged from the woman, getting a casual remark to take a seat and wait her turn.

Second fiddle in her own reprimand!

Impatience did it's part to make minutes feel like hours on the uncomfortable hardwood, until curiosity got to her and she stood up to listen at the door. If nothing else, there could be valuable Intel about him and a chance to better prepare for her turn.

"...wasting your chance after your family begged the headmaster to let you in, Mr. Arc. A young man with your background and lack of education should be thankful for the opportunity."

Goodwitch was in the middle of a heated tirade and Yang had tuned in at the juiciest part, the infusion of guilt. She had heard enough of those at her time in Signal to recognize the patterns. Next would come the prompt to show remorse for his actions.

"So what do you have to say for yourself?"

A long silence ensued after the question of the blonde teacher. The blonde outside pressed her ear closer to the door to hear something spoken more silent, maybe a mumbled apology or denial of guilt. The effort turned out to be unnecessary when Jaune spoke in an easily understandable tone.

"That's a crock of shit and you know it, ma'am."

An audible gasp from Goodwitch rang through the room and Yang shared the reaction with her eyes going wide. Defiance against authority was seldom wise but always entertaining. She opened the door silently to watch through a small crack.

Jaune stood before Ozpin, the headmaster seated behind a large desk with Goodwitch at his side with a menacing scowl. The guy was still shirtless with the tattoo in full display and Yang was thankful for the opportunity to take a better look at the massive body art. Even though she hated admitting it, the inked Beowulf looked badass on his skin. The toned muscles underneath accentuated the grimm, giving the beast a three-dimensional look.

"Don't pretend to do me a favor. I wouldn't be here if it didn't benefit your interest."

"That's a bleak worldview Mr. Arc," Ozpin said in a calm voice.

The addressed teenager was similarly calm. "It matches reality, sir. I know people like you. Their reasons are never as noble as they want them to appear."

Chills ran up Yang's spine. This didn't sound like the talk between teacher and student. A tense and controlled atmosphere surrounded the three, as if both parties felt the need to stay cautious. Most of all Goodwitch, who couldn't hide the subtle hand twitches towards the wand in her belt, whenever Jaune changed his stance in a slight manner. "Then why accept? Nobody forced you to enroll here!"

Yang swallowed, her ears perked to the max.

"I was bored and had nothing better to do with my life."

Unsurprisingly, the answer outraged Goodwitch, until Ozpin raised a hand to calm his colleague. "I don't think Beacon is the right place for the Grimmhound, but maybe Jaune Arc can find something worthwhile here."

"I hope so," Jaune replied with no excitement or confidence in his voice.

"Be as it may," Goodwitch said with enough disdain to make up for Jaune's reserved nature. "We can't tolerate students acting out and causing trouble."

The staff of Beacon liked to state the obvious. What institution could tolerate troublemakers? That's why his enrollment at Beacon was so ridiculous to Yang. And why would somebody with an obvious shady past walk right into this kind of environment?

"I don't plan to make trouble, unless others can't take a hint and force the issue."

The way Jaune acted around authority gave Yang mental whiplash. Why was this guy so suicidal with his replies? At some point you took the blame and feigned remorse, even when you didn't believe yourself at fault. It worked wonders on her dad. Not Ruby though, the little gremlin always could spot a fake apology.

"I think that won't be a problem for your opponent tonight," The headmaster established eye contact with the peeping girl through the crack. "Isn't that right, Ms. Xiao Long?"

Caught in the act and put on the spotlight, Yang stepped into the room with a sheepish expression. "I'm sorry for eavesdropping."

Ozpin seemed amused by her antics. "It saves us time and the necessity for repeating parts that involve both of you."

The ever present scowl on Glynda deepened even further. "We are aware of your circumstances as well, Ms. Xiao Long. You have the potential and tools to become an exceptional huntress, given that you learn to control yourself."

It was the same song and dance every time. They claimed she wasted her gifts on petty squabbling. She should learn to use her power responsibly and apply herself in a positive way. Easy enough for them to say when their performance wasn't dependent on going berserk. There wasn't a dimmer switch on her semblance and said powers were fueled by strong emotions.

"Try to keep both of your tempers in check from now on." Glynda said, focusing only on Jaune, before Ozpin coughed loudly and made the tense woman blush.

The lack of attention from her didn't bother Yang this time. It was useless advice as always. If she could control herself, she would already do it. Nothing more embarrassing than only being known for your epic temper tantrums, a reputation she fought against without success at her time in Signal.

Quite the opposite, it was getting worse.

Jaune left the office without another word. Yang watched him close the door and turned back to the two adults, busy talking to each other about mundane organisational stuff. Her mind took a while to process that their scolding had already ended.

"Wait a second, that's it? No informing of our parents? No black mark in our school file? Not even detention or extra schoolwork?"

Ozpin began rifling through some documents, the matter already banished from his mind. "We can't punish you as students until you pass the initiation. Consider this a stern warning for more severe consequences on later transgressions."

From the look on her face, Professor Goodwitch really wished she could discipline them and Yang took off before the woman could change her mind. Getting outside, she saw him turn the corner at the end of the corridor and sprinted after him. That speed made her catch up to him a few moments later, realizing they had gone deeper into the facility and nowhere near their destination.

"Where are you going? The ballroom is that way!"

He looked at her as if she was crazy. "You don't honestly want to go back there? I'm not spending the night in a room full of nosy and gossipy teenagers."

Yang imagined the scene and cringed. Getting scrutinized by a whole semester of students sounded like a terrible way to end a catastrophic day. Her feet moved to follow him through the dark corridors of the empty school, pale light through the windows as only source of orientation.

"Aren't you cold without a shirt?"

"Aura keeps me warm."

"I see…"

There was no denying how awkward the mood had become. Well, to her at least. How do you talk with somebody whose face you wanted to forcibly remodel via fists?

"That's a flashy tattoo," Yang said without a shred of sarcasm. The thought of getting something inked had been on her mind from time to time. "I would have gotten one ages ago, but there's too many options."

The struggle came in picking something meaningful. A dragon or tiger could be cool, but also really cliche and pedestrian since so many had them. Edgier stuff like skulls and bones wasn't her type. The names of her family members would be meaningful, just not flashy enough for her taste. And then the question of placement and size came into play, making the decision process ten times harder.

"What do you think suits me?"

Jaune stopped and reached for a smoke, then frowned at the lack of cigarettes in his back pocket. "I think you don't have to play nice with me. We stay away from each other and everything will be fine, deal?"

He turned towards Yang to get her approval for this idea, only to find a scroll shoved into his face.

"This woman… do you know her?"

It was a shot in the dark from Yang, born from desperation and lack of options. If he wanted her gone anyway, she might as well ask him before they parted ways. Junior had been the most connected criminal in town available, but Jaune seemed well-known and infamous in those unsavory circles as well.

His eyes widened and any chance to get rid of Yang Xiao Long became null as she noticed the reaction. Jaune recognized the blackhaired swordswoman in that picture. On second thought, the likeness between the woman and Yang explained the eagerness from the latter to get answers.

"Damnit…"

Big lilac eyes drilled into his soul, the seconds in the empty hallway ticking away. Jaune watched her bending down until she was on her knees. Every fiber in Jaune's body bristled with discomfort at the sight and he grabbed the girl roughly at the arm to pull her back up.

"What were you about to do?"

"Given our history, I figured you want me to beg on my hands and knees for information about my egg donor."

The fact she was willing to throw her pride away for the chance of some information about this person in particular didn't sit well with Jaune. "Her name's Raven. She's a bandit and very capable with the sword. I met her once two years ago and haven't heard of her being in Vale since then."

It wasn't much and most of the information Yang had known already, but the tidbit of Raven not being in Vale saved a lot of time.

"What kind of person is she?" Yang asked with the desperate tone of somebody grasping at straws.

As delicate the situation should be to tell a daughter about her mother, the method couldn't be any simpler for Jaune. When in doubt about somebody, he always went back to three simple checks to get the basic gist of the person.

How they fight.

Who they fight.

For what they fight.

Raven Branwen failed at two out of three.

"The raging bitch kind that steals from defenseless people and calls it survival of the strong." Jaune went down the hallway and further into the academy. "There's really not much else to say about her. She wasn't a person I wanted to know better"

A not too subtle hint for her not to bother with the bandit leader. Jaune already saw how pointless the attempt was from the determined look on Yang's face. Ultimately, what she did wasn't his problem anyway, so he dropped the subject and concentrated on his search for a resting place.

He didn't comment on her following him anymore.

They found the school infirmary, unlocked and unoccupied. One of the sickbeds called Yang's name and only her iron will stopped the blonde from crashing into the mattress. "I'm still all muddy from the fall." Yang lamented and ran a hand through the filthy mess that was her hair.

Jaune had already claimed his bed and rested on his side, the bare back pointing towards her. "There's shower in the next room."

"How do you know?"

"The door is open and I can see it."

A simple explanation. Everything about Jaune Arc was simple and straightforward, something Yang could appreciate when it wasn't used to infuriate her.

The door to the bathroom closed behind her after giving him a meaningful look. "Don't get any funny ideas while I'm in there."

Peeping on her in the shower was the last thing on Jaune's mind. His thoughts centered around how much his plan to stay unnoticed had failed. People would talk about tonight and spread the news across the whole school, bringing unwanted attention towards him. That happening was inevitable for somebody with his background, although he didn't anticipate it happening so early.

The water shower stopped a half-an-hour later and Yang entered the room in a cloud of steam with her blonde hair put up and wrapped in a towel around the head. She almost nosedived into the neighboring bed and rubbed her face against the soft pillow in bliss. Minutes of heavenly silence went by with the two of them resting five feet from each other. He was almost asleep, scratching at the gates to his welcoming dreamland.

"Do you think I'm an asshole?"

The random question startled Jaune awake and confused him. Why would she care about his opinion? He couldn't be considered friendly or even unbiased towards Yang. "I think you're used to getting what you want, either through good looks or forcing the issue with brute strength."

A bland and neutral answer. There was only one juicy morsel she could latch on and to draw him out. "You think I look good, loverboy?"

He gave her the flattest expression imaginable. "I have eyes, don't I?"

The urge to cover up under her blanket intensified under his gaze. Her shorts and tank top were damp and clung to Yang like a second skin, leaving not much of her curves to imagination. The young woman wasn't blind to her allure. As an early bloomer, the world confronted her just as early with how people could react to a decent pair of boobs.

"You dodged the question. Do you think I'm an asshole?"

"In comparison to whom?" Jaune said with a furrowed brow. "Yang, I met a lot of assholes and you're not even in the same ballpark. Beginner level douchebag at most."

"Gee, that's oddly comforting, thanks Jaune."

"You're welcome."

"I still want to kick your ass at the next possible opportunity."

The lack of venom in her voice made Jaune look at the girl. Yang's smouldering anger towards him was gone, replaced with a deep desire to prove the outcome of tonight counted as a fluke. It meant he was stuck with her, until she managed to beat him decisively in a fight.

Jaune could live with that. "Feel free to try. Can we sleep now?"

Yang couldn't resist the temptation after getting such a prime opportunity to tease. "Sleeping together? How bold of you Mr. Arc."

"You're not the first girl today to assume I proposed sexual intercourse."

Jaune cut the light and left a young woman to sit in the dark.

"Wait what?!"

* * *

RWBY

* * *

Outside, a blackhaired cat faunus exhaled in relief. The darkened room meant she was the only one able to see and so much harder to spot. Yang Xiao Long kept nagging him for details for a few more minutes before both finally went to sleep.

Only after seeing the chests of them rise and fall in steady rhythm, Blake Belladonna allowed herself to slip away. She fumbled through her scroll and slid into an empty classroom, looking through her contact list to press a certain name.

The scroll rang only twice even this late at night. The face of a male bull faunus with red hair appeared. The grim mask on his face told Blake she had interrupted him on official business.

Adam Taurus was always busy.

"It's been barely a day, Blake. I thought we wanted to reduce contact to a minimum. It was your idea."

It had been and still was. Beacon was the first step to find her own way of fighting for the faunus without raiding dust mines or bombing cargo trains.

She didn't have the stomach for it.

Adam tried to be moderate in approach whenever possible, something only his rate of success allowed him to continue. He provided minimal casualties on both sides and maximum profit for the White Fang, but his way of doing things was the exception among the ranks. Most didn't bother to be merciful towards humans.

"You also said I should call if something dangerous could happen," she said and watched the mirth vanish from his face. "The Grimmhound attends Beacon with me."

Adam stood so still, Blake wondered if the transmission had paused. "Are you sure it's him?"

The question was justified, since she had never met him herself. Adam had though, and his description left almost no room for doubt.

The worried look on her face was all the answer he needed to spring into action. "I'll be there as fast as I can! Keep your distance until then."

"Adam…"

"Blake, I know you don't want to be a part of the White Fang anymore and I respected your decision, but don't expect me to stop caring about you."

Blake's heart fluttered. Her boyfriend was such a softie.

"Stay away from him. And don't reveal you know me!"

The thought had never occurred to her and now she was worried. Dragging Adam into unnecessary danger would haunt her forever. "Does he hate you? Are you enemies?"

Adam took off his mask and looked deep into her eyes, herself getting lost in his baby blue orbs and handsome face. Her long-distance boyfriend was the posterboy for the faunus revolution in many ways. Most female recruits had at least a picture of him, the young heartthrob leading the cause like a dashing hero.

"No, the opposite. That's the problem."


	4. Chapter 4

On a scale from one to ten, the attempt of Weiss Schnee to garner her favor ranked around three in terms of obnoxiousness for Pyrra Nikos. Enough to be noticed, but too little to stimulate the part of her brain that was responsible for violent outbreaks of regret. The girl was so bad at kissing ass it was almost funny, most likely because she's used to being the one whose derriere goz smooched by spineless sycophants.

It had the advantage of keeping others away. From the welcoming speech to the forced mass sleepover and finally their gearing up for the initiation testing in the locker room, nobody dared cutting in line against the heiress of a multibillion lien company.

They were completely isolated from the others changing clothes around them. How dull had the life of the invincible lady become. Day after day, living up to the Nikos family name, going through the motions of squashing lackluster opponents and smiling at the cameras.

And if she had to sign one more box of subpar sugar cereal, she would suffocate someone with the plastic wrap!

The enrollment at Beacon was more an escape than anything else. The fame and glamour had become too much in Mistral. Vale cared a lot less about her outside the tournament circuit. Only well connected people like Weiss Schnee made a conscious effort to get close at this point.

"...and I believe we both would benefit from becoming partners for the next…"

The constant flow of honeyed words petered out and stopped for the first time since Pyrra had met Weiss. Naturally, anything managing to shut her up garnered immediate attention from the tournament fighter. Others in the locker room turned heads at well, watching the entrance of Beacon's newest source of gossip.

Jaune Arc and Yang Xiao Long, the two troublemakers. Their names were on everyone's tongue after the incident yesterday, making Pyrra's attendance at Beacon nothing more than a footnote.

The two wore barely anything, he a pair of dark pants and shoes, she with an orange tank top and pyjama shorts. Yang Xiao Long wasn't bothered by the stares, due to her zombie-like state after waking up.

"Must... find… Ruby…"

"Are you sure you're gonna be ok?"

"Find… Ruby…"

She shambled away from Jaune in janky steps, making several other students step away from her wobbly path. The remaining blonde stood with a piece of paper in his hand. His eyes traveled from locker to locker until he found the right one.

As fate ordained it, the locker of Jaune Arc was exactly between Weiss and her, meaning the shirtless male stood now between them as well and rifled through his belongings. The Schnee almost crawled into her own locker in a desperate attempt to stay unnoticed. The plan was abandoned the moment Jaune pulled down his pants and revealed a pair of striped boxer shorts.

"How about you show a shred of modesty? There are women here!"

"This is a changing room, a little bit of skin is to be expected." he grabbed a pair of washed out jeans and looked at Weiss for the first time. "Ah, you're the girl from yesterday."

"And you're the brute who harassed me!"

He put the pants on and buttoned up. "Did I? I remember telling you about my attraction towards your body. You look nice."

Weiss blushed, extremely noticeable like a red signallamp against her white hair and outfit. "There's proper etiquette in courting! Consider the consequences for the Schnee family image should I engage in a relationship with a thug!"

"What relationship?"

"Exactly! There is none!"

"I'm confused. What are you angry about?"'

"About you, you dolt!" Weiss had all but forgotten her target, a circumstance the redhead from Mistral found fascinating. A quick cough brought Pyrra back into the perception of the heiress, and the girl had the decency to look embarrassed about it. "This is Pyrra Nikos, top graduate at her school in Sanctum."

"Never heard of it." Jaune put on an orange shirt, covering up the tattoo Pyrra had been staring at for several seconds.

"She won the Mistral Regional Tournament four years in a row, a new record."

"Doesn't ring a bell." Jaune pulled out his sword and turned towards them. Both girls became wide-eyed.

"How can you not know? Her face is on your shirt!"

The piece of clothing Jaune wore was merchandise for Pumpkin Pete cereal, a print of a smiling Pyrra Nikos holding the bowl at the front.

"So it is," Jaune looked down to compare the girl on fabric with the one standing before him. "I got it with some other stuff that had fallen from a truck. The cereal tastes like dirt covered in sugar."

"Yes, it does." Pyrra said, remembering how many takes they had to film before she was able to hide the look of disgust while eating the stuff. Her eyes fell to the sword in his hand. "Interesting weapon choice."

It really wasn't to be honest. The most remarkable feature of the sword was how dented and crooked it looked. The only danger from that rusty thing would be tetanus.

"A weapon is mandatory for entrance to Beacon. This thing was lying around in my stuff and fulfills the purpose."

"I see…" Pyrra hummed. "random question, what's your opinion on tournament fighting?"

"Worthless blustering without any point or merit," Jaune said without missing a beat, missing the excited twinkle in Pyrra's eyes. "Is that all? I need to take a piss."

"Of course… good luck." Pyrra said and grimaced when he raised an eyebrow.

"Thanks, I guess."

During his walk along the line of lockers, every student stepped out of his way and started whispering behind his back. Pyrra had sympathy for his plight. Fame, no matter the source, could be exhausting and nerve wracking. Small signs were there, his stiff posture, the guarded expression and the conscious effort to avoid eye contact.

"I apologize for how rude he was. That Jaune Arc is a menace without tact and manners!"

"No, it's alright, Weiss."

More than alright, fantastic even.

* * *

RWBY

* * *

Cheap vending machine coffee was the sweet stomach-destroying nectar of the gods. Life began to bubble inside Yang after the third plastic cup of brown caffeine sludge scalded her esophagus. She had slept well, too well to get up this early and leave the soft sanctuary of a nice bed. The slumber would have continued if it hadn't been for the meddlesome school nurse demanding her infirmary back.

Why do huntresses like her need to get up so early? Grimm could be killed at all times of day.

"I can't believe you slept somewhere else and let me worry for the whole night!"

Ruby was a morning person, shown by the energy she put into her lecture, a healthy mix of concern, nosy question, unasked advice and motherly scolding. Yang loved her sister, she really did, but her getting friends at Beacon and dividing attention towards them would do wonders for Yang's sense of well-being.

Too bad she was hellbent to stay close. "We still need to make a plan for getting on the same team."

"Do we?" Yang mumbled and wanted to stuff the damn words back into her throat as soon as they left it.

"Yang Xiao Long, do you have something against being on a team with me?"

Oh, the full name meant business.

"No, I just thought it would be better to…" Yang trailed off when Jaune passed them from the corner of her vision. On instinct, she faced towards him making eye contact. "Sup, Jaune?"

He stopped from the sudden attention and stared back. "Not much since five minutes ago, Yang."

Jaune waited for her to add anything. She stood there with her lips firmly pressed against each other, her mind fully awake yet unable to come up with something witty or at least marginally reasonable in time.

Ruby Summers had no such problems. "Hi, I'm Ruby."

"Ok." He averted his eyes like they were gazing at something bright. Jaune's posture tensed in the presence of the five foot tall girl he dwarfed by at least a whole head.

The lackluster reaction made Ruby pout. "We've met before. Don't you remember me?"

"I do remember." Jaune's expression remained neutral at the sight of a kicked puppy distilled into human form, although his jaw began to tremble. "Excuse me, my chest hurts for some reason."

Jaune basically fled the scene, an amusing image considering who Ruby was as a person and a completely new experience for the fifteen-year-old girl. The affected teenager couldn't find any humor in the situation, staring after the retreating back of a guy she hoped to get along with in the future.

"What was that about?" Ruby asked crestfallen. "Since when are you two close? I met him first and was way more friendly, so why does he barely acknowledge me?"

Yang had no real answer. "Maybe we click better?"

"He vomited on you! You tried to punch him in the face!"

"Not a lot better." Yang shrugged. "He was pretty standoffish until we slept together."

Sound around them ceased to exist. Every student in hearing distance stopped what he or she was doing and looked at her. No blissful tiredness to shrug off this embarrassment but when in doubt, be louder than the others and take the bull by the horns.

"Separate beds, no hanky panky, you gossip vultures!"

The last remaining students dispersed from her outburst and the impending initiation test. Most people knew to get out of the way from the red-eyed, glowing berserker.

Ruby wasn't most people. "You want him."

Three simple words with massive effect. "What… pft…" she broke eye contact and leaned into her locker, randomly grabbing items and shuffling them around. "Why would I want to be with that guy?"

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "Because you want to fight him and as team partners you spend the most time with each other. Why else would you?"

The red in her face didn't stem from embarrassment anymore, neither did the pulsating vein at her neck. "Yeah, fighting… of course I meant fighting!"

Ruby's cheeks weren't only cute but also very pinchable.

"Why are you mad now?!" Ruby retaliated with lots of hair pulling and kicking of shins.

The siblings struggled against each other groaning and screaming profanities, until someone barrelled them over and both landed in a heap of limbs on the floor.

"Hey, watch it!" Yang bellowed and tensed after getting a look at the person responsible as her danger sense started tingling.

A very tall brown-haired guy walked purposefully towards Jaune, who just came from the men's bathroom. At the last moment, the giant grabbed the unaware blonde by the head and smashed him face first into a locker. The metal door dented inward from the impact.

"Holy shit!" Ruby screamed horrified at the gruesome sight while Yang was already on her feet and loading up her gauntlets with shotgun shells.

The distinctive cocking sound made the brunette tense up. One wrong move and the locker room would devolve into a battleground. Defusal of the situation came in the form of a raised hand and request of attention from Jaune. He peeled himself off the locker, leaving a perfect imprint of his side profile in the metal.

Not a single scratch marred his face. "You two should hurry, the test starts in a few minutes."

Yang blanched. "Dude, do you think we just leave after this guy assaults you?"

"Yeah, we are friends," Ruby glanced at him with a hopeful twinkle in her eyes. "Right?"

There was that chest burn again, making it really difficult for Jaune to turn their help down. "I'm in no danger from him. This won't take long to settle."

"That depends on you, Arc."

"Winchester..."

Exchange of names meant no random attack then, Yang figured as much. They knew each other but wouldn't engage until her and Ruby had left. More mystery to unravel about an already very secretive guy.

"Fine, we're leaving." Yang hissed through gritted teeth,dragging Ruby with her at the arm. Said girl wanted to object but a poignant look with red eyes shut her up.

Moments later, the two guys were the only remaining people in the locker room. Jaune reached out with a hand. The young man named Cardin Winchester eyed the offered appendage with a frown, then smacked it away to pull the attached man close.

Right into his chest for a bear hug. "You couldn't tell me that you'd be here in Beacon, asshole?"

"It was a spontaneous decision."

Cardin released the hug, still grabbing Jaune by the shoulder with a genuine smile. "You're on my team, no discussion!"

"You are already four guys, Cardin. Unless, you want either Russel, Sky or Dove to be left out? I'm fine on my own."

Cardin's smile turned into a frown and Jaune motioned him to follow. They walked to a nearby vending machine, drawing two cans of orange soda. Both opened theirs with a fizz and sat down on a bench, taking the occasional sip in silence.

"I don't like it."

"Yeah, the stuff doesn't taste great."

The can got crushed in Cardin's grip. "I'm not talking about the goddamn drink, Jaune!"

"What is the problem? Are you concerned about me?"

Cardin laughed. "Don't be ridiculous. You're the indomitable Grimmhound, the toughest son of a bitch this side of Remnant!"

'Yeah, people call me that." The smile didn't reach Jaune's eyes. "I need to get to the test before they find a reason to throw me out."

Jaune left without looking back, sword on the hip and hands in his pockets. Cardin sat for a moment longer, waiting until he was sure to be the last in the locker room.

"You might be the Grimmhound, but that doesn't mean I accept just anybody to be your partner." He grabbed his scroll and started a conference call. "Guys, change of plans. We are conducting some tests on our own."


End file.
